National Shooting Coach Ankush Bhardwaj Accused of Sexual Assault By Minor; Suspended By NRAI

In a shocking development that has sent tremors through Indian sports, Ankush Bharadwaj, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and a national pistol coach, has been suspended from his position following a formal complaint of sexual assault lodged by a 17-year-old shooter under his tutelage.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) confirmed the suspension pending a full investigation into the allegations, which include charges under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The alleged incident, detailed in a First Information Report (FIR) filed with the Haryana Police, is said to have occurred on December 16 at a five-star hotel in Faridabad. According to the complainant, a promising shooter who has been training under Bharadwaj since last year, the coach asked her to meet her under the pretext of analyzing her performance at a national-level match held earlier that day at Delhi's Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, according to a report in NDTV.

The survivor's statement to the police outlines a harrowing sequence of events. After initially asking her to wait at the range, Bharadwaj allegedly directed her to the hotel. Upon arrival, she was called to his room. He said that he would "crack her back" when she was on sitting on a chair. He then forced her onto the bed and sexually assaulted me, the report claims citing the FIR report.

The teenager recounted resisting and pushing him away, at which point Bharadwaj allegedly issued a severe threat to destroy her career if she spoke out and instructed her to "behave normally." He later dropped her at her residence.

The trauma, however, proved insurmountable. In her complaint, the minor revealed that after Bharadwaj complained to her parents about her being disobedient, leading to a reprimand from her mother, her distress became evident. "When my mother asked me why I was stressed, I told her everything, and she brought me to the police station," the survivor stated.

Based on her testimony, the Faridabad police have invoked Section 6 of the POCSO Act, pertaining to aggravated penetrative sexual assault, along with relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation. The legal action prompted the NRAI to take immediate administrative steps. "Ankush has been suspended pending an inquiry," confirmed NRAI Secretary General Pawan Singh.

In a statement, the survivor's family expressed their profound trauma and called for a thorough investigation. "Our daughter has been advised counselling and we are focused on taking care of her health at this time. As parents, we do not want anyone else to suffer the same fate," they said. They also raised concerns that Bharadwaj, given his position, may have allegedly targeted others. "We hope that also comes out in the investigation."

Who Is Ankush Bharadwaj?

The accused, Ankush Bharadwaj, is a prominent figure in shooting circles. A gold medallist in the 50-metre pistol event at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games, his career was previously marred by a two-year ban imposed by the Sports Authority of India in 2010 for a doping violation involving beta blockers. He subsequently made a comeback, winning further international medals, and now runs the Salvo Shooting Range in Mohali, Punjab. He is married to renowned shooter and two-time Olympian, Anjum Moudgil.